Tffi HIST SOCIETY 1500 R ST LINCOLN TIE 6 8 5 0 8 - 1 6 5 1
Serving Nebraska and Eastern Iowa for more than 75 Years VoI.LXXV
No. 50
Omaha, NE
13 Elul, 5758
September 4,1998
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'< by Pam Monsky Federation Communications Director Don't get the impression that Steve Piltor is dissatisfied with the results of the Building Campaign. Pitlor and his wife, Marcia, have been leading the Building a Jewish Community for the 21st Century campaign with Patty and Steve Nogg for the past few months, and are delighted with the responses. "This has been a successful campaign, but we've changed the parameters midstream. I want people to know we have been successful. We've raised an incredible amount of money in three months. But now we need to change our perception because the vision of this Jewish Community Center has changed," said Pitlor. "We almost have enough for the original plan, but not for all the changes needed to bring our facility into the 21st century," he added. Nelson Gordman, who has been involved with the building project as a contributor and consultant said, "The money being invested in the existing facility is not only for the new additions, but to upgrade the JGC to 2000 vintage. In order do this, we need everyone's help in raising our standards and our goal." The new goal has been set at $8.75 million, reached after a study of all the improvements needed and estimates from architects, planners and engineers.
"When it became evident that the building project would become a reality during the fund raising, the Federation Building and Grounds Committee recommended a study of the campus for improvements to the existing facility and services, said Howard Kooper, Federation President. Project architect Mark Sanford said that the list of improvements include a more attractive and accessible Community From left: Building Campaign Co-chairmen Steve and Marcia Pitlor entrance, effective and Patty and Steve Nogg. grouping of offices and services, upgrading technology and communica- overwhelmingly, but we are not done yet. We are tions, improving the safety of the north drive, more still $750,000 from our original goal." and improved parking, improved access to 132nd Contributions to the building fund may be made Street, and site drainage improvement at the Rose by calling Steve and Patty Nogg at 493-3479, Steve Blumkin Jewish Home. and Marcia Pitlor at 496-4632, Tom Felhnan and Kooper said that Omaha is building an "$8.75 Howard Kooper at 392-1800, or the Federation million dream. Our community has responded office at 334-8200.
Livingston Grant to permit by Diane Axler Baum and Martin P. Wolf A $50,000 grant from the Livingston Foundation will allow the Jewish Federation Library to fulfill a long-time goal of totally computerizing all library records and functions in order to keep pace with the 21st century and its Information Age technology. Among the benefits of total automation will be unproved service to all library users, including professionals, scholars, students and even homebound persons who have computers. Friedel Jewish Academy students will be able to access the library from the Academy's computer stations. In addition, the employment of electronic technology will enhance staff efficiency. "Total automation will afford readers and researchers better subject access to all the information we possess, since it will permit searching by a multitude of key words in the titles and subtitles of our Collection. Patrons will be able to generate their own subject bibliographies quickly and General studies teacher Denise Bennett shows Friedel students Arielle Levine and Jason efficiently," said Edythe C. Wolf, Library Director. "Automation also will offer better and faster Rich the library's new computer system. access to all the information available in Judaic the end of the project, in 1999, the entire collection databases plus access to the tens of thousands of of 35,000 books willbe "online." .;', automated libraries around the globe," she added. - Along with the Livingston grant, a donation from "Our staff will be able to manage the collection an anonymous source and $5,000 raised by the much more efficiently. By pressing a few computer Friends of the Library will be used to complete the keys, we'll be able to send overdue notices, print automation project. spine.,labels, bring up reports, and do countless "I-know that Milton Livingston believed in the other tasks that formerly were time-consuming concepts of individual incentive and personal and Odious." . . responsibility. We are pleased to be honoring his Wolf, who wrote the automation project proposal memory by working within that spirit," Wolf for the Department of Jewish Educational and noted. , •,.',: . !. Library Services, said, "We are deeply grateful to Winnebago Software Company of Caledonia, be included in the Livingston Foundation's plan to MN, specialists in the field of library software, will award $1 million in grants in celebration of its be providing support services for the conversion 50th Anniversary;" ..;••' , ; program. The grant provisions will allow for the In 1991, with a view toward someday automating acquisition of computers for the library's technical the entire collection, the Library staff-under Wolfs processes as well as computers for patron access. direction-began building the Library's database. At the completion of the project, the Library will The Library now looks forward to a completely have computer stations for public use, offering integrated, workable, computerized catalogue and complete access to the entire collection, CD Rorns circulation system in which every item is included of Judaic content, and connections to the Internet in the database by being entered and barcoded. By and World Wide Web."
Russians to honor Goldstein and Simon at 'Exodus' celebration by Linda Mirvlsh
Since 1975, more than 320 Jews from the former Soviet Union have made their homes in Omaha, Nebraska. This quiet Exodus of the new Americans from their homeland to the Midwest is the result of the vision and dedication of two remarkable Omaha women, Shirley Goldstein and Miriam
: Simon. • : • On Sept. 13, the newly formed New Americans Cultural Society will recognize the ? work of Goldstein and Simon and others who have made their resettlement possible at a program of music, cultural exhibits, and traditional food beginning at 2 p.m. at the JCC. The entire Jewish community is invited to participate in this celebration. The story of the connection between the Omaha Jewish community and the Soviet Jews is the story of the initial interest and subsequent work of. Goldstein and Simon to help those Jews who wanted to leave the Soviet Union to emigrate to Israel or the United states. ' .:•".. Shirley Goldstein's involvement began in 1972 with a."tourist" visit to the Soviet Union. The following year, together with Miriam Simon and their daughters, she returned. The women met families and relatives who were subject to government persecution for applying for immigration"vreasr On their return, they both resolved to become more active in campaigning for the human rights of these fellow Jews and to motivate the Omaha Jewish community to support their efforts. Their involvement and that of the community was two pronged: a fight for the human rights of the Soviet people, especially Jews; and the resettlement of Jewish families in Omaha. As history shows, it was successful. In 1974, Goldstein initiated and was named president of the Omaha Committee for .Soviet Jewry. Simon served as vice president. The goals of the Committee were to improve living conditions for Jews in the USSR and to promote the immigration of those who sought to live elsewhere. Together with the National Council of Jewish
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